Loyalty And A Few White Lies
by goddess.of.snow.33
Summary: How can a snowfall, a failed mission and breakfast in bed bring Itachi and Deidara a little closer? ItaDei. You know you want to read it . . .
1. Snowfall

**A/N: **I know I should really be working on my unfinished fanfiction, but this just had to be written. _ItaDei has taken over my brain and it won't leave me alone!_ I was actually writing part of this during my biology class and my teacher came over behind me. I could tell she was wondering what I was doing and I am _so_ glad she never found out—imagine the awkwardness! AAGGH! And my parents are always asking me what I'm writing about and why I'm acting so strange (strange as in crazy giggling and being a typical fangirl). I guess they will never know the cause of my insanity! Bwahaha. I wonder what pairings they would support if they watched Naruto though? SasoDei? HidanDei? Well, I bet they wouldn't go for yaoi actually! Maybe they would like NaruSaku? What an awful thought . . . I'm scarred for life . . . of course, that's just my bias—I kinda think NaruSaku is evil. NaruSasu all the way baby!

Anyway, this fic is a mixture of drama, humor, fluff and angst. I know it might be a weird transition from the angst to the humor and the fluff and back but I can't bring myself to change it! –wince–

Enjoy, and after you read it, tell me what you think! My sister isn't a very good beta . . . –cough–

xxx

Chapter I

SNOWFALL

Itachi loved the snow. It was silent, but it had a comforting silence. The Uchiha stood in the middle of its white folds with his hands open to the sky, face hidden in the high collar of his Akatsuki robe. The red clouds on the black fabric had been soaked with ice-water, turning them a dark red-brown. His tall figure appeared to be nothing but a black silhouette, standing still as a stone in the white ocean of snowflakes.

The Uchiha dropped to his knees and reached out a pale hand to touch the snow. Its icy crystals were only a few shades lighter than his skin. He crushed them in his palm. Icy water dripped from his fingers.

"Itachi?"

The dark-haired ninja turned his head at the voice, face impassive as ever.

"I was looking for you," Deidara explained, that friendly, lopsided smirk on his face. His golden hair was up in a high ponytail, with a lock of it hanging over one brilliant blue eye. The edges of his black Akatsuki robe parted over his chest. He was wearing his usual black trousers and black sleeveless shirt under his cloak, which revealed a narrow line of his stomach.

Itachi wondered how the blonde could walk in the snow like that and not feel the cold.

He turned back to look down at the ground. He had a mission that night, and he couldn't really afford to spend his time with Deidara. The blonde took a step forward so he was standing even with Itachi. Snow was catching in his hair.

Itachi wanted to touch the other ninja's honey-colored locks, but he wouldn't let himself. He frowned sourly.

"So," Deidara muttered. "Do you have a mission tonight? You're sulking again. I hate it when you sulk." He knelt down beside the Uchiha.

"Hn," Itachi snorted.

"Well?"

"No, I don't have a mission," the dark-haired ninja snapped. He hated lying to Deidara. But if he told the truth about the matter, he knew the blonde would get worried, and he didn't want that.

"Un," the other ninja said with a smile. "I'm glad. That means we can spend some time together, right?" Deidara put an arm around Itachi's shoulders and kissed the Uchiha's cheek affectionately.

"Yeah . . ." Itachi whispered, cursing to himself. Deidara wasn't going to let him out of his sight. The Uchiha sighed, smiling slightly. How was he ever going to leave for his mission without giving the whole thing away? It was better just to give in to Deidara in these situations. He resigned himself to his fate.

The blonde's lips were still brushing against his cheek-bone. Itachi turned his face so that he was eye to eye with the other ninja. "Yeah, we can spend some time together," he finished.

"Great!" Deidara said with a grin, pushing Itachi back on the snow and sprinkling a handful of the white flakes in the dark-haired ninja's face. "I love the snow, don't you?"

"I love you more," Itachi pointed out, immediately wincing at how fake it sounded. Deidara didn't seem to notice, however. A blush was rising in his cheeks.

"Itachi," he murmured, shaking his head. "That's so sweet, un!"

"Sure it is." Itachi brushed the snow off his face and glared up at Deidara.

"No, really!" Deidara pressed, punching the sarcastic Uchiha in the arm. "I don't get to hear you say stuff like that every day." The Uchiha looked up at the blonde questioningly and Deidara laughed. "You're so secretive. I hardly know what you're thinking most of the time, un."

"My thoughts aren't that interesting, you know," Itachi pointed out with one eyebrow raised.

Deidara moved closer, smiling, a skeptical look glinting in his eye. "I'm still interested in what you think . . ."

"Like what?"

"I don't know . . . . I'm interested in what you think about me."

"I think you're an art-obsessed freak, that's what I think," Itachi murmured lightly. Deidara pounced on him and pinned his shoulders to the snow. The blonde was smiling dangerously.

"Say that again and you'll be sorry, Uchiha."

"Art-obsessed freak," Itachi whispered again, this time drawing out the words.

"That's it! You're going down." Deidara grabbed a handful of snow and flung it in the Uchiha's face, cackling as Itachi's eyes narrowed in annoyance. "What? Don't get mad at me for wanting revenge. It's only natural," the blonde explained. He was still pinning Itachi to the snow.

"Revenge is natural? Hn. I suppose I agree with you there. But please get off me. I can't breathe."

"Un, I don't want to move," Deidara complained, touching the side of Itachi's mouth with a finger. The hand on Deidara's palm bit Itachi's lower lip gently and the Uchiha started. Deidara's shoulders shook with laughter at the expression on Itachi's face. "Cat got your tongue, un?"

Itachi gulped. "N-no . . ." he stuttered. "Hey, why don't we walk a bit? What do you say?"

Deidara nodded and pulled the Uchiha to his feet, putting an arm over the dark-haired ninja's shoulders. The snow had stopped falling. Their footsteps were muffled as they trudged over the white blanket covering the fields.

"If you're cold we could go back to our room, un."

"I'm fine."

"Alright."

The crunch of snow and the soft puffs of their breathing sank into the hollow silence of the woods they had entered.

"Deidara . . ."

"Un?"

"You trust me, don't you?"

"Of course I trust you," Deidara whispered, a bit surprised by the question. Itachi had stopped walking. The two were standing in a clearing between the black trunks of winter trees. A tangle of dark branches obscured the sky overhead. Itachi's face was blank, his eyes downcast, fastened on the head of a snowbell that was pushing its way up through the layers of a drift.

"I'd trust you with my life, un," Deidara added, his voice hardly disturbing the quiet. Itachi turned and wordlessly moved closer until their foreheads were touching.

"You say you'd trust me with your life," he whispered, half statement, half question. The Uchiha's eyes flickered up to meet Deidara's. "What is life?"

Deidara closed his eyes. "I think I have an idea." He heard the soft breath of the Uchiha and felt its warmth on his skin. The sound of one of Itachi's rare smiles. He opened his eyes and saw the look in the dark-haired ninja's eyes.

Itachi stared back at Deidara unblinkingly. Their faces were so close that the blonde could see the interwoven branches of trees reflected in Itachi's dark irises. "For one who takes lives so easily, it's strange to realize how little I know about them," the Uchiha murmured, eyes fixed on Deidara, but now seeing something else. The blonde could almost see thoughts and emotions running through those black eyes. Itachi's brow suddenly furrowed and he inhaled sharply.

Deidara took the Uchiha's shoulders and pulled him even closer, resting his forehead against the taller ninja's cheek. Whatever was troubling Itachi made the blonde irritated. The Uchiha didn't deserve to have worries like this, Deidara decided. "Don't be sad, un. You have your whole life to learn what life is," he murmured, laughing a bit to try and cheer Itachi up.

"Hn . . . my whole life . . ." the Uchiha muttered. "But I don't know how long I'll live."

"Don't be ridiculous. I wouldn't let anyone kill you, un!" Deidara exclaimed jealously.

Itachi pulled away so he could look into the blonde's eyes. His face was expressionless once more. "What have _you _got to do with any of this?" he asked incredulously.

"What have _I _got to _do _with this?" Deidara spluttered, anger seeping into his voice. "I have _everything_ to do with this! You and me—that's how it's always going to be, right? Don't you see me in your future?" His hands had dropped from Itachi's shoulders. He clenched them at his sides, trying to control his breathing. "Don't you _want _me in your future?" he asked bitterly.

Itachi frowned at the blonde. "I want what you want," he replied coldly. "But you have no business with my death. When I die, I'm gone. I don't want you to cry over me. That's all. You'll just have to let me go."

"Why are you talking like this all of a sudden?" Deidara asked in a choked whisper. Itachi didn't answer. The silence grew until the dripping of melting snow echoed in their ears.

"How could I ever let you go, un?" Deidara murmured.

"You'll have to try."

"Maybe I won't need to!" the blonde retorted fiercely.

"Maybe . . . but . . ."

"Stop this," Deidara growled, taking the taller ninja's shoulders roughly. "You love me, right? So show it! Don't leave me here feeling dead inside!"

Itachi's face softened. They stood in silence for a moment as the snow fell around them. Itachi finally took Deidara's hand and pulled him closer. "I'm sorry, Deidara," he whispered, pushing the blonde's cloak off his shoulders. The black cloth fell to the snow-covered ground. Itachi's hands encircled Deidara's waist as he kissed the other ninja fiercely. The blonde felt himself being pushed backwards, coming in contact with the uneven bark of a tree. He gasped at the cold. Itachi had started lifting the hem of his shirt—the black fabric came over his head and joined the discarded Akatsuki robe.

"Trust me," Itachi murmured, kissing the blonde again as he ran fingers over the skin of the ninja's back. His hand darted to a pouch on his belt, reemerging with a needle poised between its fingers. His hand was behind Deidara in a flash.

Deidara sighed, his lips moving down to brush over the Uchiha's jaw. Itachi smiled, closing his eyes. "I'm sorry, Deidara," he whispered as he sank the needle into the blonde's arm. The sleeping drug would work almost instantly.

Deidara's head fell back, his eyes staring unseeingly up at the black branches overhead. Itachi's arm shot out to catch his shoulders as he started to tip backwards.

The Uchiha wrapped Deidara in the blonde's own Akatsuki robe and carried him back to the hideout, which had grown silent. The halls were deserted. Through a window Itachi saw that the evening light on the snow had turned the white field an eerie grey-blue.

Itachi set Deidara down on the bed in their shared room, making sure the blonde was warm enough before he turned to open the door. With his hand on the handle, Itachi paused and then finally decided to turn back. He walked over to the bed once more and placed a kiss on Deidara's lips. The blonde would wake in a couple hours, and by then Itachi would be back from his mission.

The Uchiha slipped Deidara's sandals off his feet and set them by the door.

This was all stupid, really. But it was better this way than how it would be if Deidara had to wait with all his worries.

"Deidara, you're my most horrible weakness," Itachi murmured. "But I guess love doesn't care for convenience, eh? Love . . . what a strange thing for us to know, two murderers like us . . ." he whispered humorlessly.

Itachi stood up again and walked to the door, opening it and stepping through it before closing it behind him. The soft click left the room in silence.

xxx

"You love me, right? So show it! Don't leave me here feeling dead inside!"

Itachi's face softened and he took a step closer. "I'm sorry, Deidara," he whispered, pushing the blonde's cloak off his shoulders. The black cloth fell to the ground. Itachi's hands moved to circle Deidara's waist as he kissed the other ninja fiercely. The blonde felt himself being pushed backwards, coming in contact with the uneven bark of a tree. He gasped at the cold and the intensity of the kiss. Itachi had started lifting the hem of his shirt—their kiss was broken and the black fabric came over his head to join the discarded Akatsuki robe in the snow.

"Trust me," Itachi murmured, kissing the blonde again as he ran fingers over the skin of the ninja's back. Deidara shivered at the touch, his stomach flipping as tingles ran up and down his spine.

Through half-closed lids, Deidara saw Itachi's hand rise, poised with a needle between his fingertips, the Uchiha's eyes flashing red with the Sharingan. So that's what Itachi meant to do! Of course the Uchiha had been lying about having no mission. And now the bastard wanted save him from his worries by giving his a sleeping drug.

Deidara cursed, breaking the kiss and moving his lips lower to brush the Uchiha's jaw. He felt Itachi smile slightly. In that small interval of time, the blonde reached into a pouch on his own belt and took out a small tablet, quickly putting it on his tongue before he felt the small stab of pain in his arm.

He was glad he had brought his usual equipment with him today. The blonde had a minimal knowledge of medicine, but he always carried antidotes to various poisons with him to be safe. It had finally paid off! The only that puzzled him was why Itachi had been carrying a sleeping drug in the first place, unless the Uchiha had been planning it all along . . .

"I'm sorry, Deidara," he heard Itachi whisper. The sleeping drug started to circulate his system immediately and he felt a wave of dizziness, but the antidote he'd taken cleared his vision.

Remembering that he was supposed to be drugged, Deidara let his head fall back and relaxed his limbs, ready to drop to the ground. He felt Itachi's arm circle his shoulders just in time. With his eyes closed, he felt himself lifted into the Uchiha's arms with his cloak around him.

He didn't know why he had taken the antidote. Maybe it was partly his instincts as a ninja, or maybe it was, secretly, that he wanted to know what Itachi acted like when he didn't know he was being watched.

Deidara felt the air grow warmer and he knew they had entered the hideout. The tap of footsteps up the stairs and the creak of a door, and then he was set down on their bed. He heard Itachi's footsteps receding, but then they stopped.

Had Itachi noticed that he wasn't asleep? Deidara's heartbeat thudded fearfully for a moment, but then he forced himself to calm down as the footsteps grew nearer again. He felt a soft kiss on his lips and a release of breath. The Uchiha slipped his sandals off. Then Itachi started to speak. Deidara craned his ears so he could catch ever word.

"Deidara, you're my most horrible weakness," the Uchiha muttered. "But I guess love doesn't care for convenience, eh?" A pause and a world-weary sigh and then Itachi started again. "Love . . . what a strange thing for us to know, two murderers like us . . ."

The Uchiha's cloak rustled as he stood up again and walked to the door. Deidara heard it creak open and then click closed, leaving the room in silence.

He waited a few more moments before opening his eyes and sitting up. He went over what Itachi had said again and again in his mind. Weakness, love . . .

With a sigh of aggravation, Deidara stood up, hanging his Akatsuki robe on its hook. He unfolded a silk robe that went down to the middle of his thighs and put it on over his black trousers, tying the sash around his waist. He sat down to wait for Itachi. The snow had started falling, heavier than it had been earlier that day, but more wet this time, and less fluffy. It would turn to rain soon. Deidara closed his eyes.

Why did Itachi have to be so difficult?

xxx


	2. Twisted Philosophy

**A/N: **I was joking when I said my sister, shimmeringrain99, isn't a very good beta. I wuv you my widdle sister! –pats her on the head– you're the best beta in the world! :3

lol, actually she's my big sister. Anyway, I wanted to thank her for reading this and helping me make it more interesting and realistic.

xxx

Chapter II

TWISTED PHILOSOPHY

Deidara glanced over at the window. The dark silhouettes of trees blurred as rain ran down the thin pane of glass. The snow had all but melted. It was getting late. Itachi should've returned by now.

The blonde got up and paced the small room, his shoulders tense. The Uchiha's mission shouldn't have been difficult, but what if something had gone wrong and he had been injured? No, no, that was unthinkable. This was the great Uchiha Itachi he was thinking about, not some inexperienced Genin.

Deidara grabbed a comb from the top of the dresser and ran it too quickly through his hair, snagging its teeth in a knot of tangles. He yanked at it angrily and winced. This would never do.

Sighing, the blonde collapsed in a chair. He closed his eyes and imagined Itachi's face—the slight smirk, the locks of dark hair, the emotionless eyes—it was funny that those eyes held so many things that no one knew about, besides him.

He realized that he was lucky. Deidara straightened, eyes flickering open to scan the empty room. Itachi's spare clothes were neatly folded on a shelf next to a box of his other things. The Uchiha kept everything perfectly organized. If it wasn't for Itachi, Deidara's room would be a mess.

This wasn't why he was lucky, of course. The blonde smiled slightly. He was just lucky to know Itachi, to be able to hold him and confide in him. What was he to do otherwise? They were both alone, murderers and outcasts, hated by the very same people who had watched them grow up.

If he didn't have Itachi, Deidara knew he would be beyond hope. But somehow, there was still a part of his heart that could love.

Deidara stood up and walked over to the mirror, picking up the comb again and running it through his golden hair. His hand trembled and he let it fall to his side. He had to get a grip. The blonde ninja stalked into the bathroom that was connected to his room, plunging his hands into a basin of water. He splashed his face with it, biting his lip at the cold.

Suddenly, his head whipped around to stare at the door through which he'd come. What was that noise? A door opening? The creak of a bed. The rustle of clothing. Deidara dashed into the room and stopped to stare at the scene that lay before him.

Kisame had set Itachi down on the cot in the middle of the room. The Uchiha's cloak was torn and soaked through with sweat. A ribbon of blood flowed from the corner of his mouth. His eyes stared blankly up at the ceiling.

Deidara was at Itachi's side in a flash, placing a hand over the Uchiha's chest to feel his heartbeat, just to reassure himself the man was alive. He kept his eyes fixed on Itachi's unseeing ones. "What happened?"

Kisame shifted from near the door. "Itachi isn't badly hurt. He's just unused to getting wounded. He's fine."

The Uchiha snorted and Deidara smiled a bit. "Thank you, Kisame," the blonde replied. Kisame shut the door behind him, leaving Deidara and Itachi alone. The blonde opened the front of Itachi's cloak and drew it away from his shoulders. "Looks like these wounds aren't bad enough for you to go to a real professional medic nin, but not so light that they can be ignored either, un."

Itachi sighed heavily. "Does this mean that _you_ are going to take care of it for me?"

"What's wrong with that?" Deidara asked suspiciously, one eyebrow raised.

The Uchiha smirked. "Nothing."

"Fine."

Itachi watched as Deidara collected the supplies he would need from around the room. The blonde finally sat down again on the side of the bed.

"I'm sorry I had to drug you. I know you must have woken up some time ago. Did you miss me, Deidara?" Itachi murmured through half-closed lids.

Deidara pursed his lips. "No . . ."

He was laughing silently to himself. He'd have to tell Itachi the truth some time or other, if only to get on the Uchiha's nerves. And then they could talk about what Itachi had said . . .

The blonde reached out a hand to touch Itachi's shoulder, but the dark-haired ninja stopped him. "You didn't miss me? But you seemed so worried about me when you came in before, so I thought—"

"You wish, bastard," Deidara returned without missing a beat. This was their way of flirting with each other. It was completely immature, when he thought about it, but it was a routine—the insults and jabs they made just to get on each other's nerves somehow brought them closer.

Itachi blinked slowly, gazing up derisively at the other ninja. "Hn," he snorted. Deidara ignored him and took his shoulder, tearing the shredded cloth away from his skin. He roughly applied salve to the bruises and scratches. The Uchiha opened his mouth again. "Deidara?"

"What?" the blonde snapped.

"That hurts."

"Don't be a baby, un."

Itachi growled. "Look, I'm not used to getting wounded, alright!"

Deidara's hand moved to the collar of the Uchiha's shirt and slipped it over Itachi's head. "How's this, then?" He moved his palms over the ninja's bruised shoulders, massaging the stiffness out of them. Itachi sighed and let his head fall back on the pillows of the bed. Deidara smiled. "So I guess that means you like it, un?"

The Uchiha let the smallest smirk lift the corners of his mouth. "Maybe a little."

"Oh, come on," Deidara whispered, tracing Itachi's collar bone with his finger. The tongue from the mouth of his hand darted out to lick the Uchiha's skin. Itachi's breathing hitched and he glanced up at Deidara.

"I'm too tired for this."

"Nonsense." The blonde reached out to untie the other ninja's hair. It fell in dark waves over Itachi's chest, which glowed faintly in the dim candlelight of the small room. "You aren't badly wounded, un," Deidara explained, glancing over the Uchiha's perfect skin. The only mar on his pale body was the bruising on his shoulders and the handful of scratches.

Itachi flicked his hair out of his face with a quick movement of his head. "What are you doing?"

"I'm studying you."

"I thought you were supposed to be healing me."

"I finished, stupid. It didn't take much time."

Itachi shifted under the blonde's gaze and finally lay still, staring back up at the other ninja. Finally, he reached up and tugged the tie out of Deidara's hair. The yellow locks slipped down in front of Deidara, glinting with a subtle fire. "You should let your hair down more often, you know. It makes you look . . . it makes you look . . ."

"What? What does it make me look like, un?" Deidara pressed. Itachi's hand flew back to his side and he resumed his impassive expression. Deidara just leaned closer until their noses were almost touching. "Un?"

The ends of Deidara's hair were tickling the Uchiha's skin. Itachi squirmed but felt hands gently pressing his shoulders back into the pillows of the bed. Deidara's lips were on his own, soft but insisting. The blonde's hair fell around him. It smelled like oranges and chocolate, Itachi realized.

The kiss tasted bitter, tainted by the metallic tang of blood. Itachi hesitated as Deidara's lips brushed over his, amazed that the blonde still wanted to kiss him in the state he was in. He lifted a hand up to hold the back of Deidara's head as if the blonde was made of glass.

Deidara broke away and opened his eyes to look at Itachi. He reached out a hand and placed it over the Uchiha's mouth. Itachi felt a tongue licking the blood away, the blood which trailed in a ribbon from his mouth because of his earlier fight on his failed mission. Without thinking, the Uchiha closed his eyes and let his lips part slightly, enjoying the warmth of Deidara's hand.

"Un," the blonde murmured with the hint of a laugh. "You look so cute when you close your eyes like that."

Itachi's eyes snapped open, the faintest blush coloring his cheeks. "Cute?" Deidara raised his eyebrows as the Uchiha grabbed him and brought him closer. "You think I look cute?"

"Un," Deidara exclaimed with a nod. He wriggled under the covers so he could lie next to Itachi, resting his head on the Uchiha's chest and placing a hand on his stomach. The tongue of his hand flickered out again, trailing along the length of Itachi's waist. The dark-haired ninja shivered and took Deidara's forearm, forcing him onto his back.

"Why are you hanging around here with me anyway?" he asked quietly.

"What—"

"Why are you staying with me?"

Deidara reached up with his free hand to trace the lines under Itachi's eyes. "Because you're an artist, un."

"What kind of art do I do?" Itachi whispered, the scorn in his voice painfully evident. He wasn't trying to hide it anymore.

"Your art is the Mangekyou Sharingan," Deidara explained with exasperation.

"So murdering people is art, eh? Torturing people is art?" The Uchiha's fingernails dug into Deidara's wrist as he clenched it tighter.

"Oh, don't use those words. You make it sound like art is a bad thing."

"Is this the only reason you're staying with me?"

"No . . . it's also because you know what life is. Y-you . . . in the woods, you said you didn't know, but you _do_ know what life is."

Itachi snorted. "Right. So tell me then, what is life?"

Deidara's eyes saddened. "It's a commodity, something you can sacrifice. Something to prove yourself against. A shinobi's life is lifelong competition. Our existence is defined by the loss of other's existences. We sacrifice in order to gain."

"Are you going to sacrifice me?"

"Of course not. I love you, un!"

Itachi opened his mouth. "How can you love—" He choked the words back, but then opened his mouth again. "How can you love a murderer?"

Deidara pulled Itachi closer. "You and I are alike. We both know what it is to be alone."

"But how—"

Deidara silenced the Uchiha with a kiss, pushing him back against the pillows again. Against the warmth of the other ninja's body, Itachi felt hot tears flowing down his cheeks. He opened his eyes as Deidara's lips left his own, his vision swimming with distorted color, twisted and blurry.

Deidara noticed that the Uchiha's mouth didn't tremble at all when he cried. In fact, he hardly gave away any emotion. If the tears on his cheeks had disappeared, nothing would seem to be amiss.

Deidara closed the Uchiha's eyelids gently with his fingers and leaned in to rest his head on Itachi's shoulder. "Sleep," he murmured. "I love you, un . . ."

The end of the blonde ninja's sentence grew softer and softer. Itachi looked down and realized that Deidara had already fallen asleep. The Uchiha ran a hand through Deidara's golden hair and sighed. He lifted up an arm to wipe the tears off his face.

Pulling the covers up around his shoulders, Itachi moved closer to Deidara, wrapping his arms around the blonde's sleeping form. The silk of Deidara's robe moved against his skin as the other ninja turned over to rest his back against Itachi's chest. The Uchiha shivered—it was cold in the small room, especially for him at that moment, lying in bed without a shirt.

Itachi closed his eyes and kissed the back of Deidara's neck gently. "I love you, too," he mumbled, words almost impossible to hear in the silence. The sleeping Deidara sighed softly and snuggled closer. Itachi smiled—this moment was perfect, and it didn't matter that time was fleeting.

He let himself fall asleep with his lips pressed against Deidara's neck, breathing in the scent of oranges and chocolate.

Outside, the moon rose and then started to descend behind the trees on the horizon. Night was passing.

xxx


	3. Competition

**A/N: **to all reviewers and readers—I'm really glad you liked the last 2 chapters! I hope this chapter is up the standard I've set . . . btw this chapter is less angsty and more humorous. Enjoy!

xxx

Chapter III

COMPETITION

When Deidara opened his eyes a crack, a band of light fell across the bed from the open door of the bathroom. He sat up, rubbing his eyes and brushing his hair out of his face. There was no Itachi next to him. He groaned in annoyance and grumbled something incomprehensible at the light coming from the door across the room.

"Deidara, are you awake?" Itachi's half-whisper came from behind the door. Deidara yawned loudly in response. Itachi opened the door, silhouetted in the buttery light. He was wearing a towel around his waist and a hand rested on his hip. "I took a shower to wash off all the blood from the wounds. I didn't mean to wake you."

Deidara stretched his arms above his head. "It's okay, un!" he replied with another yawn. "But, you know, you should really come here." Itachi raised an inquisitive eyebrow but came to sit next to the blonde. Deidara reached out his arms and wrapped them around the Uchiha's torso. "Un, you're so warm!" he murmured, smiling up at Itachi.

"Hn. Would you at least let me put some clothes on, Deidara?"

"Un," the blonde snorted. "Why would I let you do that?"

Itachi rolled his eyes. "I'm cold, damn it."

"No, you're warm! You just took a shower, un! Come on, get back in bed."

"You're going to have to persuade me," Itachi pointed out, trying to stand up. Deidara refused to let go. The Uchiha rolled his eyes and tried to extricate himself, but in the process they both fell to the floor. The blonde wrestled Itachi onto his back and smirked in triumph.

"Hah, I win! Now come back to bed. I'm freezing to death, un."

"Fine, but first let me get dressed."

"You're so demanding!" Deidara complained with a roll of his eyes, finally letting Itachi get up off the floor. "Hurry up and change, un."

The Uchiha exchanged his towel for a pair of black trousers, but Deidara grabbed him impatiently before he could pull on a shirt. Itachi let the blonde drag him back under the covers. He was secretly pleased that Deidara wanted to be with him so much.

"So how did you get wounded again, un?" Deidara asked after wrapping his arms a bit too tightly around the Uchiha's shoulders, which were bare once again.

Itachi rolled his eyes at the blonde. Great, now he'd get to explain how he had been sorely beaten on that failed mission the night before. "It was a jinchuuriki," he muttered in annoyance. "We didn't know the enemy had one on their side. I'd already used by Mangekyou Sharingan so I had little energy left. That's all it was, really."

"Poor Itachi got defeated, eh?" Deidara said sarcastically. "How sad."

Itachi lowered his eyebrows. "You're supposed to be rooting for me here, not the other side. Don't you ever act nice?"

Deidara started to laugh, but covered it with a cough. "Sure I do. It's just that I think getting trounced a few times is healthy for your ego, un."

"My ego?"

"Your ego is the size of the Fire Country!"

"Hn. Enough about my flaws. Don't _you_ have any flaws we could talk about?"

"No, I'm perfect, un. No flaws to speak of!" Deidara exclaimed with a grin, squeezing Itachi's shoulders.

"Of course you have flaws, bastard," the Uchiha countered.

"Alright, name one," the blonde challenged.

"Only one? I'll name quite a few!" Itachi said with a dangerous smirk.

Deidara growled. "Fine! Do it!"

"You're impatient, moody, easily angered, perfectionistic, obsessed with art, which is really annoying by the way, and you're self-centered, high-strung, loud—"

"Un," Deidara moaned. "Do you really think all that about me? Wh—"

"—And finally, you're way too good-looking to be a ninja! It's _so_ annoying!" Itachi snarled, crossing his arms over his bare chest in a huff.

"Un?" the blonde murmured in surprise. A smile grew on his face. "Oh, I see. You really _hate_ me don't you." Itachi rolled his eyes. He felt the heat rising in his cheeks. Deidara was making him blush way too much lately. "You _hate _me. And that's why you're in my bed. Right."

"It's not _your _bed, it's _our _bed!"

"You're really _not_ doing a very good job arguing for yourself here, un," Deidara muttered, smirking.

Itachi tried not to smile. "Forget this. I'm going to get breakfast."

"No, no, I'll do it. You wait here."

"Fine," the Uchiha retorted, pretending to grumble. He moved so Deidara could climb past him out of the bed. The blonde was still wearing his white silk robe, and his honey-colored hair fell down over it, still out of its ponytail from the night before.

"I'll be back in a second, un," Deidara commented before disappearing through the door.

He returned a few moments later with a tray. The blonde tossed his hair over his shoulder and sat down on the bed, tipping his head towards Itachi in a conspiratorial manner. The Uchiha started eating as Deidara began to talk in a low voice.

"Okay, so when I was downstairs getting breakfast, Hidan was looking at me, right? And I totally think he likes me or something, because, you know, he came over to me and was all like 'hey, you need help carryin' that tray, Deidara'? And I obviously _didn't_ because it was freaking _light _but anyway, his brain's probably just fried because I'm so good-looking, so no wonder he can't think straight, un."

Deidara smirked at the brilliance of his own so-called logic. Itachi ruefully admitted to himself that the blonde was right. Who _could _think straight when they were around Deidara?

The blonde had paused mid-monologue, but then he opened his mouth again, putting on Hidan's voice and puffing out his chest in an imitation of the other man. "Hey, you need help carryin' that tray, Deidara?"

The impression of the arrogant Akatsuki member made Itachi burst out laughing. The Uchiha sobered up seconds later, however. He cracked his knuckles and grinned demonically. "Hn. You know, if that bastard so much as _tries_ anything . . ."

"I know, I know, you'll beat him to a bloody pulp. You really don't need to though. I can do that myself, un."

"Sure."

"Hey, are you doubting me?"

Itachi smirked. "Maybe." Deidara ignored the Uchiha and started eating. But Itachi just couldn't help asking the question that was ringing in his mind. "What would you do if that bastard Hidan kissed you?" he asked pointedly. Deidara was surprised at how jealous the Uchiha sounded.

"If he kissed me? Eww, Itachi, that's not an image I want in my head."

"What would you do?" the dark-haired ninja pressed.

"Hmm, I think maybe sock him or something. Why?"

"Are you even strong enough to give a good punch?" Itachi teased, enjoying the look of aggravation that crossed the blonde's face.

"Un," Deidara growled. "I'm strong enough to beat Hidan up anytime I want!"

"Hn," Itachi snorted, stretching. "Let's see how strong you are then. No Ninjutsu or Genjutsu, just Taijutsu."

"You're on!" Deidara said with a grin.

Itachi stood up, pulling Deidara to his feet and throwing him against the wall. The blonde had the wind knocked out of him temporarily, but quickly regained his composure and lunged at Itachi. The Uchiha ducked and moved to the side, swinging a leg up to catch Deidara in the stomach.

"Have to do better than that, un!" Deidara cackled, easily blocking the kick. Itachi smiled—this would be interesting. It would be hard to win, wouldn't it? The Uchiha swung his leg up again, aiming for Deidara's chest, but the blonde took his foot and twisted it, making Itachi fall to the floor. The dark-haired ninja rolled to the side as Deidara's fist came down and smashed the wood where his head had lain only seconds earlier.

Itachi sprung to his feet and grabbed Deidara's shoulder, pushing him from the side. The blonde stumbled but regained his balance in time to duck as the Uchiha's fist came flying at him again.

"I told you, you'll have to do better than that, Uchiha!" he taunted, panting and grinning as he wiped the sweat off his forehead. "I bet you can't win."

"We'll see," Itachi said calmly, eyes glittering with amusement. "You should watch out." Suddenly, he jabbed his fist at Deidara's stomach. It was all the blonde could do to block it. With another sudden movement, the Uchiha swung out his leg, catching Deidara's side. The blonde fell to the floor, breathing heavily.

"And I didn't even use my Sharingan," Itachi murmured with a smirk as he bent over Deidara. The Uchiha's lips hovered a hairsbreadth from the blonde's.

"Itachi . . ." Deidara murmured. "What are you . . . ?"

Itachi didn't answer—he just held Deidara's gaze for a moment with his dark eyes and then pressed his lips against the blonde's in a possessive kiss. The Uchiha's hair, still wet from the shower, fell around Deidara's face.

"Mmph, you smell like oranges and chocolate . . . have you been using my shampoo?" a slightly flustered Deidara asked, eyes wide.

"No," Itachi said defensively, smirking at his blatant lie. "And anyway, why'd you have to go and ruin the moment? You aren't allowed to talk when I'm kissing you."

"But—"

"Absolutely not," the Uchiha whispered, leaning in again. He kissed Deidara fiercely and moved his hands over the blonde's chest, pulling the silk robe open. Deidara smiled into the kiss and sighed, letting Itachi slide hands along his waist and around his body in a tight embrace.

Itachi finally sat up, his usual composure faltering, his wet hair draping in tangles across his chest. Without a word he moved to scoop Deidara up in his arms and lay him down on the bed. The Uchiha reached out a finger to trace the mouth over the blonde's heart. Silence hung for a few more seconds.

Deidara was the one who broke it. "Those bruises don't look so bad now that it's morning." He motioned to Itachi's white shoulders, discolored with fading purple.

"Yeah, they're healing," the dark-haired ninja murmured in response, leaning down to rest his head on Deidara's chest. He listened for a few minutes and then his eyes lit up. "You're heart is going so fast." He looked up in time to see the blush fade from the blonde's cheeks. "Why is that . . . ?"

"Why do you think?" the other ninja spat.

Itachi gave him a blank look.

"You're a damn good kisser, alright!" Deidara said in a rush. "You don't expect me to act _normal _after _that_, do you?"

The blonde's cheeks were red again. Itachi couldn't help but smirk. "I never knew I was good at kissing before. Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

Deidara laughed, wincing. "Don't ask me."

"Hn." Itachi closed his eyes and pressed his lips against Deidara's palm. "You're one weird guy."

The blonde snorted and pulled Itachi closer so that the Uchiha was leaning back against his chest. "And you're calling _me _weird. You're the one who wears nail-polish."

"You wear nail-polish too, numbskull!"

"Good point, un!" Deidara said, smacking his forehead.

"And you're the one with tongues in his hands! If that's not weird, I don't know what is."

"But you like it, don't you?" Deidara said mischievously, running his hand over the Uchiha's chest and smirking as Itachi shivered with pleasure. "I take that as a yes, un." He sounded extremely smug.

Itachi smiled, reaching back a hand to smack Deidara lightly on the cheek. "You're so self-centered. I _told_ you that you were."

"Don't forget the good-looking part. You said that about me too."

The Uchiha groaned. "Fine, fine. I admit defeat." He let his head fall back on Deidara's chest and smirked up at the blonde. There was a bit of silence. Deidara raised a finger to his lips in thought, still holding Itachi's gaze.

"I have to tell you something, un."

"What is it?" Itachi asked, twisting to face the blonde.

"I was lying about the whole Hidan thing," Deidara admitted. "I was just trying to make you jealous."

To Deidara's astonishment, Itachi nodded with yet another smirk on his face. "I know. I was playing along the whole time."

Deidara's fists slammed into the pillows. "WHAT? WHY?!"

The Uchiha shrugged, feigning innocence. "Oh, I don't know, I kind of wanted an excuse to pin you to the floor and kiss you senseless . . ."

Deidara opened his mouth and then closed it again. His eyes darted over Itachi's face in shock. The blonde finally found words. "You mean you were _planning _that?"

"Mm-hmm."

Deidara gritted his teeth, a blush rising in his cheeks again. He was trying not to smile. "But how did you know?"

"I'm just that good," Itachi explained smugly.

"I guess you are, un . . . good at detecting lies and good at kissing . . ." Deidara whispered as he pulled the Uchiha closer for another kiss. Itachi glanced down at the blonde's lips. Deidara was licking them nervously.

"Hn," Itachi snorted. He brushed his lips over Deidara's and then moved down to kiss the blonde's neck, smirking at the small gasps that came from Deidara's mouth. "You guess?"

"U-uh . . . yeah . . ." Deidara stammered. The warmth of the Uchiha's mouth was moving over his shoulders as the dark-haired ninja left paths of soft kisses across them.

"You were so certain I was a good kisser before. Now you sound dubious," Itachi explained casually, his lips still tickling the blonde's skin.

"Stop teasing me, un," Deidara moaned. "Just kiss me instead of torturing me like this!"

Itachi smirked down at the blonde. "I didn't know you wanted it that badly, Deidara . . ." he teased.

The blonde just rolled his eyes. Itachi laughed silently as he pushed the white fabric of Deidara's robe completely off the blonde's shoulders. Now both of their chests were bare. Morning sunlight fell through the window, casting new shadows over the room as the gold light settled on the wood floor.

Itachi rested his hands on Deidara's shoulders as he pressed his lips against the blonde's. Deidara's hands snaked around the Uchiha's waist as he smiled, enveloped in the warmth of their bodies pressed together.

They spent the rest of the day curled up in bed. Kisame was yelled at by an irritated Uchiha when he knocked on their door and asked how Itachi was doing.

Finally, the two went out in the snow again. A new blanket of white had fallen in the early morning. Amiable silence accompanied them into the woods as they walked with their arms around each other.

"Un . . . I have to tell you something."

"Oh no," Itachi muttered with a smile. "Don't tell me you lied to me _again_."

"I took an antidote to the sleep drug you gave me. I was awake the whole time you were carrying me back to the hideout! When you took out the needle with the sleeping drug, I totally saw it coming. My reflexes are just too good!" Deidara said with a smug grin. Itachi's eyes widened comically before he could stop himself. "Un, you can't expect to win every time," the blonde added. "Sometimes you just have to be beaten."

"Deidara . . ." Itachi growled, feigning anger. "You are _so_ dead . . ."

The blonde raised an eyebrow. "Un?"

The dark-haired ninja snorted and leaned in to place a kiss on Deidara's cheek. "I mean it. I swear I'll kill you one day."

xxx

**A/N: **Does it feel like the end of this fic? I'm not sure if I'll write more or not. _Tell me if there's anything else you think needs to be resolved._ I love input! Was it too out of character? Was it too angsty? Was it too fluffy? Was it too short? Tell me!

–shoots a threatening glare at the reader–


	4. Attachment

**A/N: **sorry about the long wait. Yes, I decided to write another chapter. I think my sister's to blame – I know she'd kill me if I stopped writing this! oO

jk. Actually, so many of you said you'd like another chapter that I just couldn't say no. I want to give a big thank-you to all reviewers! I appreciate you all so much! –hugs-

Anyway, last chapter I asked if my writing was too angsty – sorry I was unclear, I was referring to the first chapter and a bit of the second, not the third which was totally fluff and humor, not angst. Again, sorry I was unclear! –facepalm- I can be so dumb sometimes! lol.

This next chapter is even more wonderfully fluffy ItaDei, although I apologize for shortness. Also, I think I'm going to lower the rating – this is more of a K+ fic than a T-rated fic isn't it? –sweatdrop- what was I thinking? Well, I don't know – you guys tell me what rating this should be! And yes, this is sadly the last chapter.

Oh, and be prepared for a crazy jutsu at the end! It's a bit of crack-fic humor for you. Heehee.

xxx

Chapter IV

ATTACHMENT

Itachi snorted and leaned in to place a kiss on Deidara's cheek. "I mean it. I swear I'll kill you one day.'

Deidara closed his eyes, smirking. "You're too attached to me to do anything of the sort."

Itachi pulled away and looked at Deidara pointedly. "Yes, I suppose I am." His eyes narrowed. "I'm too attached. But you're the one who'll have to break that attachment." The Uchiha's words hung for a moment in the cold air. Deidara released his breath in a puff, exasperated. Itachi was going on about _this _again. "I will die one day," Itachi said offhandedly, tone measured as usual. "And you will have to let me go."

The blonde fumed. "We went over this. I already told you, you bastard—"

Deidara's sentence was cut off by a cry from behind him. "DEIDARA! SEMPAI!" Tobi yelled, his shout muffled by the long distance between them and the thick layers of snow. "PEIN-SAMA AND SASORI NEED TO TALK TO YOU! COME ON! IT'S ABOUT YOUR NEXT MISSION!" He motioned for the blonde to get going.

Because they all knew Sasori hated to be kept waiting. Itachi snorted in contempt, annoyed that their conversation had been interrupted.

Deidara grumbled, and without another word, he turned away from Itachi and stalked back to the hideout. The Uchiha stood silently, watching the blonde's disappearing form. Snow had begun to fall again, and Itachi found himself shivering at the sudden cold. His Akatsuki robe wasn't enough in this weather.

What had he gotten himself into, forming attachments that would end up hurting him? That was the kind of ridiculous nonsense Sasuke had once believed in. Friendship. Love. Loyalty. Itachi knew that when he was around Deidara, those words made sense. They seemed real and worthwhile, not just a bunch of unreachable ideas. But when the blonde wasn't with him, Itachi began to question if it was all worth it and if it was even real.

Dusk had begun to fall. Itachi walked farther into the woods, soothed by the darkness. If he ended up alone again, what would be new? he asked himself. He clenched his teeth. No, this was ridiculous. He couldn't keep pretending he as unaffected by it all. What he needed to know was what had happened to the cold, calculated malice of the Itachi who murmured his own clan. That Itachi had a heart no one could reach. That Itachi would never have . . . would never have let himself fall in love.

In an attempt to suppress his feelings he'd only made them stronger.

But perhaps he could try being human once in a while. Itachi frowned. It was strange to think of having a normal life. He knew would never have one—he was a murderous, guiltless criminal after all. But who said he couldn't have the luxuries others possessed?

Itachi smiled slightly. He was sure Deidara wouldn't like to be thought of as a luxury.

xxx

Sasori and Deidara's conference with Pein was over. The door shut with a quiet click behind them. "Tomorrow, danna?" Deidara whined. "Do we really have to go so early?"

"Yes," Sasori replied, rolling his eyes. "This mission's important. We can't leave any later than tomorrow."

Deidara pursed his lips. "Ugh. Fine. Well, I'll be going now. It's late." He waved to the puppet-master as they both walked their opposite ways down the hall. Deidara stopped once Sasori was out of view and stood there thinking.

Where was Itachi? Deidara somehow didn't think the Uchiha would have gone back to their room. Itachi would probably be sulking somewhere, Deidara realized with a snort. He knew the Uchiha had been thinking about their conversation just as much as he had been. This had to be resolved. He wasn't going to have Itachi thinking he would just give him up! Deidara started back down the hall, turning into the main room of the hideout. As expected, Itachi was sitting by the fireplace, silent as a stone. The firelight cast red shapes across his face. Deidara took a step closer and realized the Uchiha's eyelids were closed.

He took another step nearer just to be sure. The shadows in the room wavered as the flames in the hearth lapped at the wood burning there. Deidara couldn't be sure Itachi was sleeping—he half expected the Uchiha to spring up and lecture him at any moment.

Deidara bent down and touched Itachi's shoulder lightly. The Uchiha shifted and sighed but didn't open his eyes.

The blonde watched him with a small smile. It was rare for him to be able to watch Itachi in sleep. He got to see another side of the Uchiha—a vulnerable, needy Itachi that was hard to glimpse otherwise. The dark-haired ninja was a professional at hiding his feelings, but when he was sleeping, he couldn't do anything about that.

Deidara sat down next to the Uchiha and took his hand, eyebrows furrowing as he noticed that Itachi's fist was clenched. The blonde carefully opened Itachi's palm and held it between his own. Slowly, Itachi's eyelids began to flicker upwards. Deidara saw a bit of shock pass over his face, and then the mask of impassivity fell into place over the Uchiha's beautiful features.

"Deidara?" Itachi muttered, blinking.

"Bastard," the blonde whispered back affectionately, a hint of a laugh in his voice. "Why are you sitting in here? Why didn't you go back to our room?" Deidara knew the answer, but he wanted to hear what Itachi would say nonetheless. The Uchiha shifted into a sitting position, shaking his head to clear it. He was still waking up. Deidara had the sudden realization that Itachi was uncannily cute when he was sleepy.

"Hmm . . ." Itachi mumbled.

"Never mind," Deidara said suddenly, no longer desiring to discuss this with the Uchiha. Not yet. "Come on, un." He put an arm around the grumbling Uchiha's shoulders and heaved him to his feet. Deidara chuckled silently when he realized that Itachi could hardly stand on his own. He must be _really _tired, he blonde thought to himself.

Deidara half-dragged, half-carried the Uchiha back to their room and set him down on the bed. Itachi immediately buried his face in a pillow, without even bothering to take off his Akatsuki robe.

But Deidara would have none of that. "Itachi!" the blonde whispered threateningly, grabbing the Uchiha's shoulder and flipping him over on his back. "Don't think you can go to sleep just yet, un!"

Itachi didn't snort good-humoredly or even smirk in response. He looked back at Deidara with disinterest, clearly annoyed that the blonde wanted to talk to him. "I want to sleep," he commented quietly. Deidara knew that tone—the tone Itachi used right before he lashed out in anger.

Deidara let the Uchiha's shoulder go. This wasn't going well at all! The blonde's mind raced to find the right thing to say—anything to get his feelings across. He opened his mouth and Itachi raised an eyebrow at him, so he stopped before he was about to say anything. He found himself reaching out again, this time to cup the Uchiha's cheek. Sometimes actions are better than words.

Itachi's face hardened slightly at the contact. Deidara felt a frown forming on his lips. The moment stretched on and Deidara felt the air become more and more tense. Itachi couldn't just brush him off again, could he? That would be cruel. That would be just like Itachi. Deidara felt his palm sweating against the Uchiha's smooth cheek.

He saw a flicker of something pass across Itachi's face. The Uchiha had regained some of his self-satisfied attitude. He seemed almost resigned.

Deidara withdrew his hand and leaned closer, still keeping eye contact. "You understand, don't you?" He knew they'd both been thinking about it this whole time—how Itachi was preoccupied with death and what would happen if he died, but how Deidara wasn't willing to forget about Itachi and he wasn't going to let him go either. "I won't ever stop loving you, not even after you die," Deidara said, smiling, surprised at the fierceness of his own voice.

Itachi's eye twitched and he looked away. Deidara crowed in triumph. "So I've won, un? I've finally made you to see my side of this?"

Itachi's face sobered and his eyes grew cold, but Deidara recognized the expression as one of sadness. The Uchiha was hard to read, but Deidara had practice with it, after all.

The blonde let his hand fall to Itachi's shoulder. "Look at it this way, un." He leaned closer and rested his forehead against Itachi's. "Life is short. If you spend all of it worrying about how it will end, it will end before you know it." He felt Itachi's breathing against his skin. "Live in the moment. Life is like art—it isn't permanent." He breathed in the smell of Itachi's hair. The bastard was definitely using his shampoo. "Live that way and you'll find happiness."

Deidara pulled away and realized that the Uchiha had closed his lids, with an expression of profound calm on his face. Those black eyes snapped back open in a second, however, and Itachi's face slipped under its mask of disinterest one more. It was clear Itachi was never going to admit to anything . . .

The Uchiha was still playing that same card. "You have to be careful not to form an attachment, Deidara. It will only hurt you."

The blonde was getting sick of this. "Are you saying that you don't love me, un?" he gritted out between his teeth.

Itachi paled. "No, no!" He shook his head rapidly.

Deidara continued to glare at him. Finally he snorted. "You just can't deal with the fact that you've lost the argument," he growled, deciding a different approach was needed. "Sometimes you act like a baby, un! Seriously, don't you know you're gonna be mine forever?" The blonde chucked as Itachi's pale cheeks showed the hint of a blush. Deidara's fingers were now busy pulling Itachi's robe from his shoulders. The Uchiha watched, a bit mesmerized, as he was slowly undressed. Suddenly, he snapped out of it, but his reaction was a bit too late. Deidara wrapped arms around him, smiling that smile of his that Itachi loved and hated because of its affect on him. "I think you're resigned to your fate, un. You've given up."

Itachi wasn't one to argue with _that_. It was all he could do not to lose himself in the warmth of Deidara's kiss. A weak thought fluttered on the surface of his mind . . . why was he resisting? Shouldn't he live in the moment? Not worry about how things would turn out? Itachi's arms shot up to hold Deidara as the blonde kissed him. His body seemed to have answered those questions on its own. He let Deidara move to sit with his legs straddling his waist and forgot about the future completely.

The strings of their lives were too hopelessly tangled now.

Deidara pulled away from the kiss and looked down at Itachi a bit breathlessly. There was a moment's pause and then he began to speak. "You know, I have a mission tomorrow, un. It's a real important one too. I'm gonna be gone for six days."

Itachi's eyes narrowed at the interruption and at the news. "What?! I can't . . ."

"Can't what?" Deidara asked slyly.

Itachi's eyes flickered. "I can't . . . live without you for that long."

Deidara had a hard time not smiling. "Not so cold-hearted anymore, I see, eh, Itachi?" The blonde gulped as the Uchiha gave him a deadly glare. "Well, you know, I was just kidding about the six days thing! I'll only be gone for two days, un!"

Itachi blinked slowly. "Good. Because otherwise . . . you'd be in for it."

"Stop giving me that scary look, un," Deidara complained. "I don't like it, un."

Itachi snorted. "How can you be afraid of me? You're sitting on top of me. I can hardly move."

Deidara smiled. "Are you saying that I have the feared Uchiha Itachi-" He leaned down and tickled the other ninja with a lock of his hair, "-at my mercy? Un?"

"No." Itachi sat up, smirking at the blonde ninja, who immediately fell off him in a clumsy heap. "Uchiha Itachi is never at anyone's mercy." The dark-haired ninja stood up and pulled Deidara to his feet. "Mangekyou Sharingan!"

Everything disappeared and they were surrounded by orange skies. Deidara found himself standing in the middle of a shallow lake, reflecting the orange sky above. It stretched on in all directions as far as the eye could see.

Itachi stood in front of him, grinning.

"I'm not your enemy! Why are you doing this?" the blonde whispered, confused.

The Uchiha took a step towards him. "Torture isn't the only thing I can use this jutsu for, Deidara . . ."

"What?"

"The Mangekyou Sharingan is a time-warp—but I can use it for more than torture. We have 72 hours to do _anything_ we want."

Suddenly it dawned on Deidara. "You mean anything . . . like . . . this?" He grabbed Itachi's shoulders and kissed him passionately.

Itachi blinked calmly. "You catch on quite quickly, don't you?"

Deidara grinned. "You're a genius, un. To think of something like this. A total genius."

Itachi smirked, surprising the blonde by catching his lips in another kiss. The Uchiha pulled away. "Nine-thousand nine-hundred ninety-nine kisses to go."

Deidara's eyes widened as Itachi brought him closer. He was definitely going to be tired for his mission tomorrow. He was sure of that . . . but somehow he didn't care too much.

_fin_


End file.
